probably be fatal, not only on account of the cold but because

they would most likel}' get hung in the trees. Even if eggs

were laid, they would hardly be fertile, as probably such birds

would copulate in the air on the wing.


The tips of the long wings, when the bird is well braced

np, cross much more extensively than represented at page 105.

They remind me of the Hobby in this respect.


There is now no mystery as to the cause of the out-of-bed

tumbles referred to at page 132. It would neither be pretty nor

anatomically correct to say that the husband kicks the wife out

of bed whenever she has the misfortune to be on his right side.

Without mincing matters in the least, and without a moment's

delay, he now promptly “ mandibulates ” her off her perch,

although receiving her with sweetness and satisfaction when she

is fortunate enough to find herself on his left wing.


Only to-night a very noticeable little incident occurred.

At the entrance to their bedroom, another perch runs across the

usual roosting-perch, close to the side of the cage, and the male

often gets on to the wrong perch — the female, on the other,

almost touching him, but not with the habitual side-to-side

pressure. Usually, at roosting time, I arrange them comfortably

(for they cannot hop about the perches like other birds), but

failed to do so to-night. Some two hours later I came into the

room, and the male appealed to me with great earnestness ; but I

heeded him not, for it was long after dark, and he was in a very

snug place. After a few minutes, finding that I did not take any

notice of him, he deliberately flew on to the bottom of his cage,

well knowing that I should not leave him there; and in a few

moments the two were cuddling together in complete satisfaction.

Mrs. Phillipps (who was present) all along has most solemnly

protested against a little paragraph I had inserted reflecting on

their intelligence ; and, after such an act, performed after a pause

of deliberate reflection — call it instinct or reasoning or whatever

you like—I have no option but to withdraw the obnoxious state¬

ment. And yet this is a bird—such is the force of habit — who will

unhesitatingly eject his helpmeet from the bed if she chances to

be on the wrong side.


One of our old friends, probably the father of the Society

in respect of age, and still an enthusiastic aviculturist, Mr.

Turner, of Cullompton, reminds me that the French name of the

genus is Guepier, the species under consideration being “ Ee

Guepier vulgaire” of Eevaillant. This is a great improvement on

our name of “ Bee-eater,” which prejudices unthinking persons



